Many of us continue to envision a change in the work environment: leave the living room or the kitchen table at home and return to the office. However, the whole experience of working in the office is now very different. There is a new workplace with changes to make you safe.
There are many organizations that keep up with all the changes that have happened due to the pandemic. One of the challenges that companies are now facing is the reorganization of the workplace for the return of their employees. Until there’s a vaccine against Covid-19, all spaces need to be prepared to minimize the contagion and safety of the team and other visitors. Companies have indeed reduced the number of people in the office, however, there will always be a risk of contagion in the work environment.
What changes? How can offices with hundreds of employees be a safe space? What rules must be followed and how can employees know them?
We believe that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to make the office a safe place. All companies have their identity in terms of organization, business, dynamics between colleagues, and other factors, and in everyone’s mind, new ideas are created to transmit and follow security measures. However, we give the example of Teleperformance Portugal so that you can understand some of these changes and the work environment in the office.
The basic resources are here to stay
It is likely that some of the recommendations made in the office have been known since the beginning of the pandemic, such as maintaining the safe distance, always disinfecting your hands, avoiding touching with your hands at contact points, preferably using the stairs instead of the elevator, among others. So, you should continue to see alcohol gel dispensers, frequent cleaning of common spaces and information displayed at your workplace with these and other basic safety tips, such as the mandatory use of a mask.
Teleperformance ensures that all employees have access to the latest information/ recommendations from the DGS (National Health System) and WHO (World Health Organization) and provides all the mentioned resources.
These are the basic rules that are here to stay. They are the essential elements to keep people safe. Of course, Teleperformance and other companies, want to go further and protect their team with all they can, so there may be a whole redesign of the office.
Workplace redesign
- People
One of the changes that will be most visible to you is the number of people that are in the workplace. This space will now have a smaller number of employees. It is up to each company to understand which teams are more physically accurate in the office, as well as the limitations and preferences of each one for the return.
Teleperformance, for example, will only occupy 40% of its 11 buildings; we know which teams have priority to return at this stage and we also did a survey to find out which employees would like and can return to the office.
- Entrances
If it was already essential to control the entrance of people at companies, now it is even more important to select the people who can or cannot do so, avoiding the risk of contagion. Controlling body temperature is one way to avoid this risk.
At Teleperformance, at the entrance, everyone is obliged to measure their body temperature using an automatic monitor that indicates whether have fever or not.
- Signage
From footprints on the floor or arrows with the direction you should walk to posters that limit the number of people in the rooms. You should find the office filled with enough visual information to let you know immediately what preventive measures you should take.
At Teleperformance, messages follow the entire journey of employees, from entry to exit. There is specific signage about the use of the mask, in what direction employees should walk, what are the space restrictions – for example, in the elevators, there are footprints that indicate the place where people should position themselves; and in cafeterias, the places where they should sit down. There are televisions with safety tips, posters with helplines numbers, among other signs in the work environment.
- Workstations and common spaces
If until now you shared the desk side by side or worked wherever you wanted in the office, now there will be more restrictions. You will probably always have to work at the same workstation and with the minimum safety distance between colleagues. Regarding common spaces – meeting rooms, cafeteria, bathrooms, elevators, and others – it is necessary to consider the limitation of the location and the use of equipment.
The return to the office is one of the ideal moments for the leaders of the organizations to act, to create a safe work environment for their team, and, in some cases, to get rid of the inertia of the past. A well-planned and prepared return will create a better experience for everyone and generate confidence in the company.
If you want to know more about Teleperformance Portugal, read our articles here.
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